ROCKFORD — Three of the eight candidates for Winnebago County sheriff and one for County Board will have to withstand objections to their election paperwork to stay in their races for the spring primary.

Caruana’s campaign said in a news release that members reviewed petitions for both primary opponents, Fiduccia and Frank Pobjecky. The challenge to Fiduccia’s paperwork said it did not have the required number of signatures of registered voters because some people signed more than once and others were not Winnebago County residents or registered voters. The challenge also states that four sheets of 10 signatures appear to be photocopies.

“We felt obligated to follow through on this objection due to the overwhelming evidence of fraud in this petition. The rules and the law clearly state that you need 465 signatures of registered voters. The Caruana campaign turned in nearly three times that number. We could not, in good conscience, allow a petition that contains so much fraud to go unchallenged,” Jim Thacker, Caruana campaign consultant, said in a news release.

Schroeder and Heidenreich challenged each other’s petitions on technical grounds. Although Winnebago County Clerk Margie Mullins said Tuesday that Heidenreich may rescind his objection.

Heidenreich’s challenge states that Schroeder notarized his own petitions, which is not allowed in the Illinois Notary Public handbook.

Schroeder’s challenge says that Heidenreich broke election rules by including a title along with his name on nominating petitions. Regulations say the candidate’s name must be listed as it appears on the ballot, the challenge states, and Heidenreich’s nominating petitions include the title of Navy Seal below his name. The challenge also states that Heidenreich wrote “Dem” rather than Democratic or Democrat under the designation for political party and that he failed to circle his area of residence and whether he was seeking a nomination or election to the office.

Winnebago County Board incumbent Kay Mullins challenged her potential opponent’s lack of signatures. Mullins, who represents County Board District 6 in the Machesney Park area, said Edwardsen had 11 invalid signatures from people who did not live in District 6 or were not qualified voters. A total of 25 signatures are required for that district, but Edwardsen would have only 15 if Mullins’ challenge is upheld.

The county’s three-person Board of Elections plans to hold hearings on the challenges next week, although a date had not been scheduled as of noon Tuesday. The board is made up of State’s Attorney Joe Bruscato or a deputy state’s attorney, County Clerk Margie Mullins and Circuit Clerk Tom Klein.